Grind and brew coffee apparatus

Abstract

A grind and brew coffee making apparatus for providing freshly brewed coffee and having a number of features for easy cleaning, more efficient maintenance and improved safety. The coffee making apparatus has a housing assembly with an upper separable top cover, a grinding assembly with a removable grinding chamber and separable grinding chamber cover, a brewing assembly with a removable brew basket and separable brew basket cover, a control assembly with a safety lock mechanism and a control panel for providing a user with control over the various operations of the coffee making apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly; 
 a grinding assembly for grinding coffee beans; 
 a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said grinding assembly has a motor, at least one grinding blade operatively connected to said motor, a removable grinding chamber having a separable cover and a grate for sieving coffee grinds, wherein said grate has a plurality of differently sized apertures to deliver a mix of grind sizes. 
 
     
     
       2. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly; 
 a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans; 
 a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said brewing assembly has a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly, wherein said removable filter assembly has a filter and a filter holder, wherein said filter holder has a handle, a stem, and a filter compartment for selectively retaining said filter, wherein said stem has one or more apertures disposed therein for efficient use of fluid reservoir space and manufacturing materials. 
 
     
     
       3. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly; 
 a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans; 
 a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said brewing assembly has a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly, wherein said removable filter assembly has a filter and a filter holder, wherein said filter holder has a handle, a stem, and a filter compartment for selectively retaining said filter, wherein said filter compartment has an entrance for allowing a user access to said filter, wherein said entrance is a door pivotally connected to said filter compartment via a hinge. 
 
     
     
       4. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said door can be locked closed to securely retain said filter. 
     
     
       5. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said door is closed via one or more snaps. 
     
     
       6. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly; 
 a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans; 
 a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said brewing assembly has a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly, wherein said removable filter assembly has a filter and a filter holder, wherein said filter holder has a handle, a stem, and a filter compartment for selectively retaining said filter, wherein said removable fluid filter assembly further comprises a filter life indicator. 
 
     
     
       7. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly; 
 a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans; 
 a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said brewing assembly has a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly, wherein said brew basket assembly has a removable brew basket with a separable cover and an access door assembly, wherein said brew basket cover has an inlet for receiving coffee grinds and a spreader for receiving and distributing a fluid over said coffee grinds. 
 
     
     
       8. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said fluid is heated. 
     
     
       9. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly; 
 a grinding assembly for selectively grinding coffee beans; 
 a brewing assembly for brewing coffee grinds; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said brewing assembly has a fluid reservoir, a removable fluid filter assembly, and a brew basket assembly, wherein said brew basket assembly has a removable brew basket with a separable cover and an access door assembly, wherein said access door assembly has a door and hinge, a plate, a latch, and an actuator. 
 
     
     
       10. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said brew basket is disposed on said plate. 
     
     
       11. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said plate is connected to said door. 
     
     
       12. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said latch holds said door in a closed position. 
     
     
       13. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said actuator selectively releases said latch to allow said door to be manually opened by rotation about said hinge to provide access to said brew basket. 
     
     
       14. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said access door assembly further has one or more springs for providing a force to automatically open said door upon the release of said latch via said actuator. 
     
     
       15. A coffee making apparatus for selectively grinding and brewing coffee comprising:
 a housing assembly having an upper separable cover; 
 a grinding assembly having a grinding chamber with a separable cover; 
 a brewing assembly having a brew basket with a separable cover; and 
 a control assembly for controlling the operation of the coffee making apparatus, 
 wherein said control assembly has an safety lock mechanism and a control panel to provide a user with different operative features, wherein said safety lock mechanism has a number of lock switches for cooperating with said top cover and said grinding chamber cover to detect the motion thereof such that if said top cover and/or said grinding chamber cover is open and/or displaced the coffee making apparatus takes one or more safety steps. 
 
     
     
       16. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said one or more safety steps can include providing an audible warning signal, providing a visible warning signal, terminating the grind and/or brew cycle, and/or terminating the operation of the coffee making apparatus completely. 
     
     
       17. The coffee making apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said one or more safety steps can be overridden by closing and/or properly positioning said top cover and/or said grinding chamber cover and restarting the operation.